AYURVEDA: THE
ANCIENT ART OF CURE AND A BEAUTIFUL ART OF LIVINGby Dr. ANNIE M JOHN

Ayurvedam is a gift of God from heaven as the answer to the frequent prayers of our
ancestors. It has not been given just to cure diseases but it has shown a way of living
which is healthy and fruitful.

These days, life is a burden for all. It does
not matter if you are rich or poor. For the poor, it means suffering, as they have to work
hard to make both ends meet and also to attain a desired standard of living. The affluent
persons have to work hard in order to keep up the style of living (social status) they are
accustomed to. In the midst of all these worries, tension and hard work, your mind will
not have peace nor body get proper rest. This can lead to disease.

Here ayurveda gives you an advice on proper
style of life. Get up early in the morning and pray to God.

" Bramhe muhurthe
uthishte swastho rakshartheam ayusha"----

Our God almighty is the only answer to all our
miseries. We should pray for our daily bread. Forgive others, so that we get forgiveness
from God. This divine love of God help us to love all our friends, neighbors, elders and
vanishes all hatred from our minds. Thus our mind becomes clear to see the beauty of the
world, which god has given to us. This will enable us to be satisfied with our earnings
and to see the gifts of our life. The clear contented mind helps to
think properly and free us from anxiety, tiredness and idleness. With full energy
and peace of mind we have the full day to live.

Think about body appetite, digestion and
sleep. This will give an idea of " doshe vriddikshaya".
If something goes wrong, we should seek necessary medical care. Recognizing and
identifying the messages our body conveys us at various stages is very important for a
healthy living.

"Suthrasthana" instructs to have
fresh and tasty food with a good appetite. Work with utmost sincerity that you fear
nothing, God gives you the reward. Good sleep is essential for good health. There is clear
and proper instructions about sexual life as it is very important. Food, sleep and sex are the three
pillars of life.
"Rithucharya" talks about changes in climate. The strains due to overwork is
caused by external elements. "Nidana parivarjanam chikithsa"---says
to avoid the cause to cure the illness. "Suthrasthan,
Nidanesthana, Chikithsasthana" talks about medicines that cure the
disease. Thus both prevention as well as cure is discussed.

Ayurveda - the ancient art of cure can be a modern art of living for better life and good
health.

Dr. Annie John is a degreed Ayurvedic Doctor
in India, the land where Ayurveda originated. Annie has a degree in Ayurvedic Medicine
from the University of Kerala and is practicing. HolisticOnLine thanks Annie for taking
the time out to write this beautiful article that gives a different perspective to
Ayurveda.

HolisticOnLine also thanks Meena John Kurian,
sister of Annie for giving the encouragement to write the article as well as transmitting
the article electronically. Thank you Mohan and Meena.